• NATIONAL NEWS

Special Bench to handle Trial Court worries created by Supreme Court

Chief justice of India SH Kapadia has decided to set up a special bench to monitor and address the problems being faced by trial courts , determined to bring down the backlog of cases by arming the subordinate judiciary with necessary tools to speed up dispensation.

Every Monday, this bench will call for reports from the Chief Secretaries of the states and registrars of high courts. The special bench on Friday would function on the lines of the forest bench, which holds environment and forest-related matters.

No opening up of legal sector to U.K. yet

Union Minister for Law and Justice Veerappa Moily on 09.07.2010 ruled out an early decision on Britain's long-standing demand for access to India's legal market .The government could not bulldoze the country's more than one million lawyers into accepting foreign competition overnight.

Re-upped Round up: Special and Constitutional Bench, GNLU students help reduce backlog in Gujarat High Court, ASG Amarjit Singh Chandhiok backs private firm, Nariman on Judges Appointment

The Chief Justice of India, S.H. Kapadia has plans of setting up of a State-wise, Special Bench in subordinate courts which will deal with problems faced by the Bench and the Bar. He said, "We will appoint an amicus curiae to assist us. The High Courts will be asked to list the problems they are facing and these will be forwarded to the States for action".

Mixed reactions continue after BCI meeting with State Bar Councils

An emergency meeting was called by the Bar Council of India on July 3 to discuss the issue of the All India Bar Exam. The Chairpersons of the State Bar Councils were called to discuss the impact of the AIBE and the petitions filed against the implementation of the AIBE. Sources indicate that three Chairpersons of the SBCs objected to the idea of AIBE being implemented from this academic year.

First Annual Report on Employment issued by Ministry of Labour and Employment

The Report has invited comments and suggestions from the people on major issues highlighted specially relating to the employment of youth, women and the disadvantaged groups

SEBI limits exposure margin for equity derivatives to 5 per cent

The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revised the exposure margin for exchange traded equity derivatives for stock exchanges to 5 per cent of the notional value of the gross open position in single stock futures and gross short open position in stock options in a particular underlying stock, from the earlier 10 per cent. This is in modification of the SEBI circular dated 15 October 2008, which specified that the exposure margin should be higher of 10 per cent or 1.5 times the standard deviation (of daily logarithmic returns of the stock price) of the notional value of the gross open position in single stock futures and gross short open position in stock options in a particular underlying, SEBI said in a release.

SEBI said the revision has been done on the basis of feedback received from market participants and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.

• INTERNATIONAL NEWS

LHC disposes of petition seeking contempt action against CM

A full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) consisting of Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman on Wednesday disposed of a contempt of court petition against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif.

On Wednesday, the Punjab government's lawyer submitted that Shahbaz had not approved the construction of a library, restaurant and car parking etc at the Doongi Ground, Gulberg and he would abide by the order passed by the court. After his arguments, the bench disposed of the petition.

Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique had filed the petition. He submitted that the CM has violated the court's order that had restrained any construction on the public ground. The petitioner stated that misuse of the public ground was started during the Pervaiz Elahi government in 2006 when it decided to construct an IMAX theatre at the park. He submitted that this illegal act of the provincial government was challenged before the LHC, which had issued a restraint order on February 23, 2006, maintained by the Supreme Court. He said the petitions in this connection were pending before a five member bench of the LHC.

SC praises parliament on 18th Amendment

The Supreme Court praised parliament on 07.07.2010 for improving many provisions of the Constitution through logic and reason by adopting the 18th Amendment, with Justice Javed Iqbal saying that earlier 'qualities of an angel' were set for those aspiring to become parliamentarians under Articles 62 (qualification) and 63 (disqualification).

India and UAE work out prisoner transfer agreement

India and the UAE are working on an agreement to transfer of prisoners between the two nations to serve their sentence terms in their home country.India's ambassador to the UAE, M K Lokesh said.the agreement will enable Indian convicts in the UAE to serve their sentences in their home country, and the UAE will bear their daily expenses.Prisoners involved in financial crimes or those sentenced to death cannot serve their terms in India.

Supreme Court nominee Kagan defends recruiting stance

President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan on 29.06.2010. Who defended her decision to limit military recruiting at Harvard and rejected Republican charges she would be a liberal judicial activist

Kirkland judge wins Washington State Bar Association award

King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott, of Kirkland, is one of three judges who have won the 2010 Outstanding Judge Award from the Washington State Bar Association. The award is presented for outstanding service to the bench and for special contribution to the legal profession.

Nigiria Network Advised to Collaborate With Bar Association

The Network of the Bar, Bench and Police (NBB&P) which is aimed at protecting the sexual and reproductive rights of women should collaborate with both the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Human Rights Institute, Barrister O.O.Olowokore.